Noninvasive Testing for Silent Myocardial Ischemia in Stable Coronary Patients
- Jeffrey A. Leppo, MD;
- Abdulmassih Iskandrian, MD;
- Kenneth A. Brown, MD;
- Mario S. Verani, MD
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
Excerpt
To the Editor. —Moss et al1 conclude that noninvasive testing is not useful in stable patients after a coronary event for identifying those at future risk for recurrent cardiac events. This conclusion is drawn from test results in a highly selected group of patients, and we would like to make the following comments, with respect to thallium-201 perfusion stress scintigraphy.
It is important to note that the original goal of the Multicenter Study of Silent Myocardial Ischemia was to assess the prognostic significance of silent and symptomatic myocardial ischemia in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Therefore, one should be cautious in drawing any conclusions when the study goal is changed after patient enrollment is completed. Had Moss et al wished to assess the utility of various noninvasive testing methods to predict future cardiac events, the study design should have been altered and a much larger number of patients
Footnotes
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Edited by Drummond Rennie, MD, Deputy Editor (West), and Margaret A. Winker, MD, Senior Editor.
